


Attention

by towokuwusatsuwu



Category: Kamen Rider OOO
Genre: Domestic Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-11
Updated: 2017-05-11
Packaged: 2018-10-30 16:53:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10881006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/towokuwusatsuwu/pseuds/towokuwusatsuwu
Summary: Kazari is a cat, and as a cat he demands attention. Maki really has no choice but to go along with it.





	Attention

Kazari may be an ancient creature the likes of which modern humanity has never seen before, but he is still a cat at heart, and it shows. It shows far too much for Maki’s personal comfort.

He had always thought Date had a tendency to overstep his boundaries and cross over into the personal space of others often without a second thought as to what he was doing, as if it was so natural that it needed no thought process. In much the same way, Kazari has come to figure out just how much of Maki’s personal space he can encroach on, when he can do so, and what he can get out of the deal. It makes sense, Maki supposes. If Kazar retains any feline traits, surely he must also retain some of the needs and desires that such animals also have.

Of course, he had never thought of large predatory cats as actual  _ cats. _ They were predators designed to stalk, hunt, and capture prey with large claws and larger teeth. They had their own ways of living in the world, and so Maki worked with his knowledge of such animals in order to make sure his temporary partnership with the cat-like Greeed went about as smoothly as it could.

And then the book he is reading is swatted out of his hands, tossed carelessly onto the floor while a familiar platinum head thunks down in his lap, dark eyes looking up at him expectantly.

“Kazari.” Maki doesn’t know what to say or how to feel, but having Kazari blink up at him like this is slightly unnerving. Having him this close is unnerving, too. “What exactly are you doing?”

In answer, Kazari stretches a hand up and swats at Maki’s fingers. “I want attention.”

If cats could speak, Maki has no doubt they would say such things when they wanted attention; cats can be just as warm and friendly as people often give dogs credit for, or they can be fickle creatures who maintain a respectful distance from their owners until they want attention and decide that respectful distance be damned until they get the pets they want.

But cats are one thing. And cats certainly do not slink around in the bodies of human beings. “I don’t know what you mean by that, exactly. Would you care to explain yourself?”

In response, Kazari huffs up at him, lithe fingers catching Maki around the wrist so quickly he doesn’t even see Kazari’s hand move to complete the motion. “Honestly,” Kazari mutters under his breath, dragging Maki’s head down to the top of his head. “Now give me attention.”

“I see.” Maki remains still, his hand resting on top of Kazari’s head. “You want me to pet you.”

Kazari snaps his fingers. “Yes, that,” he says, then relaxes his body so completely that even his head feels heavier on Maki’s legs. “I wasn’t sure I had the correct phrasing to ask.”

Date certainly had never thrown himself into Maki’s lap and demanded to be pet quite like this, but Kazari is generally less intrusive. Maki isn’t sure which one of them is worse now.

It takes him a brief moment of thought process and a deep breath to calm himself before he slowly, awkwardly tries to find a way to pet Kazari’s hair that will satisfy his desire.

It had never occurred to him that Kazari would ask for this, and certainly not from him. It would have been more in form for him to go hunt down someone to do it for him, wouldn’t it?

For the sake of their partnership and their cooperation— Maki  _ does _ need Kazari’s assistance after all, his plans can’t simply go off without a hitch if he has no Greeed to be a vessel for the Core Medals— Maki keeps petting Kazari’s hair until his dark eyes slip closed and he sighs softly.

He had never liked animals, not even cats, too absorbed in his work to think about caring for one.

But still, this is fascinating enough, he thinks. To study the way Kazari relaxes even more with each additional stroke to his hair, the way he tilts his head into the touch a little. Greeed are characterized by their sadistic and violent nature, if anything else. This is the exact opposite.

“Did someone in your former life comply with this when you needed it?” he asks.

“Ankh.” The answer is quick and apparently automatic because Kazari wrinkles his nose as soon as he seems to realize he’s said it. “And I preened his feathers. Obviously, that stopped.”

“Obviously,” Maki echoes, remembering the volatile relationship between the two of them.

Kazari rolls his shoulders. “After Ankh, there was no one. We were too busy fighting the King.”

That… Would make sense. Maki doesn’t ask any more questions out of Kazari though, sensing he had touched on a sensitive spot of the cat’s and not wanting to annoy him or anger him any more than he already has by probing in the first place. Truthfully, they know so little about the Greeed and their past lives that he can’t help but wonder what it must have been like back then, what the original OOO was like and how the Greeed had essentially almost ruled the world.

“This is nice,” Kazari murmurs, his voice soft and hazy as he stretches his neck.

“Cats seem to like being pet,” Maki observes, and Kazari smirks. “At least, domestic ones do.”

“Have you domesticated me?” There is an edge to the question, dark eyes fluttering open in challenge, though the spark of intensity is overshadowed by how heavy his lids are. He’s tired.

The question is an interesting one, and Maki takes care to think it over before he gives an answer because Kazari would expect nothing less of him at this juncture. Domesticating an animal takes time and effort and breeding to hone the perfect features for the animal as well as removing the more feral traits that make them untrustworthy. But Greeed are far more than a simple beast, far more even than a human. Could any human ever truly handle taming someone like that?

He thinks of Eiji Hino, and his relationship with Ankh, the banter, the bond between them.

“You aren’t an animal to be domesticated, Kazari. I don’t think anyone who tried could succeed in such a venture.” Kazari’s lips twitch upward just slightly; he must like the answer. “Rather, you have chosen to be my companion for the time being. That is all this is.”

“A good answer.” Kazari frowns at him, pushing his head up into Maki’s hand, and Maki resumes petting him, not sure when he stopped. “A partnership. I will never be anyone’s pet.”

“I would assume not,” Maki agrees, pushing Kazari’s hair back out of his eyes.

Kazari’s eyes drift closed again, and when Maki’s fingers brush the skin behind one of his ears, he’s startled when a low, almost but not quite rumbling sound answers the touch.

He makes a note to remind himself later on down the line that Kazari can purr.

When he’s working later on and Kazari has disappeared for the night, he compiles his observations on Kazari’s behavior into something he can work with. And if Kazari drops a dead bird down on top of his lab table, startling the hell out of him in the process, well… He earned it.


End file.
